VW ID.4 Gains 94 HP and Drops Just 11 Miles Range with AWD Added
All-wheel drive version of ID.4 receives official EPA numbers, with AWD Pro receiving 249-mile rating, while the AWD Pro S rated at 240 miles.
The price premium for the AWD model over the RWD model amounts to $3680, making it a fairly low-cost option to upgrade to if needed.
VW has added an asynchronous motor to the front axle, with the AWD model producing 295 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque, amounting to gains of 94 hp and 110 lb-ft, respectively.
This week Volkswagen revealed details about the all-wheel drive version of the electric ID.4 sport utility, which will follow the rear-wheel drive version that debuted on sale earlier this spring. The good news when it comes to range is that the ID.4 AWD Pro version has now received an official EPA rating of 249 miles, just 11 miles south of the front-wheel drive model, preserving quite a bit of the range capability despite the addition of a second motor. The ID.4 AWD Pro S model, meanwhile, has received a 240-mile rating from the EPA.
Rear-wheel drive versions of these two models had received ratings of 260 and 250 miles, respectively, so the differences between all four versions should not force buyers to make compromises based on driving range.
The automaker also notes that the ID.4 Pro AWD has been rated at 102 MPGe for city driving, and 90 MPGe highway, for a combined 97 MPGe rating. The AWD Pro S model, meanwhile, has landed a combined 93 MPGe rating, receiving 98 MPGe in the city and 88 MPGe on the highway. The AWD models keep the 82-kWh (gross) battery packs, as well as the 5% to 80% fast-charging time of 38 minutes, with 125 kW fast-charging.
What's interesting is that VW added a different motor type to the front axle in the AWD models: They have a permanent-magnet synchronous motor in the back, and an asynchronous motor up front that uses less power, with the vehicle offering a combined 295 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque—a 94-hp boost over the RWD model. This is perhaps something we'll see more of as VW Group models debut in rear- and all-wheel drive flavors.
VW offers the ID.4 AWD Pro with a starting price of $44,870, prior to any federal or local incentives. The AWD Pro S, meanwhile, starts at $49,370.
Perhaps more importantly, these numbers represent about a $3680 premium over the starting prices of rear-wheel drive ID.4 models, so while the issue of range differences is largely moot, the costs to consumer for ticking the AWD box is not a substantial one. Once buyers are already shopping for an electric crossover around the $40,000 mark, that premium amount to the cost of a few options.
"ID.4 owners receive three years of unlimited charging at Electrify America DC Fast Chargers at no additional cost," the automaker notes. "Electrify America is the nation's largest open DC fast charging network with more than 650 charging stations and more than 2700 DC fast chargers, including two cross-country routes that can allow electric vehicle (EV) drivers to travel from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles and Jacksonville to San Diego."
